Tourism in Florida is buzzing with Epic Universe, yet Disney World's achievement goes unnoticed in discussions about records set.
In the heart of Central Florida, Universal Orlando's latest addition, Epic Universe, has made a significant splash in the tourism scene. The opening of this highly-anticipated theme park in May 2025 has led to a surge in tourism tax numbers, marking the highest ever recorded for both May and June of that year.
Universal's theme parks revenue surged nearly 19% in the quarter ending June 30, 2025, compared to the previous year. This growth is attributed to increased attendance, per capita spending, and strong food and merchandise sales at Epic Universe. The park is also projected to inject about $2 billion into the Central Florida economy in its first year through increased consumer spending, job creation, and tax revenue.
Despite the opening of Epic Universe, Walt Disney World has experienced minimal attendance impact so far. Disney Experiences division posted revenue that was up 10% to $6.4 billion in the last quarter, indicating a record quarter for the company. This suggests that many tourists who visited Orlando chose to visit both Disney and Universal, rather than favouring one over the other.
Epic Universe has caused a rise in crowd levels and wait times, but it has not notably cannibalized attendance at the other Universal parks (Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure). Universal aims to improve ride throughput to handle attendance growth more efficiently. The park is also praised for its technological advancements, immersive environments, new hotels, and strong guest spending.
Regarding Walt Disney World, there is no indication of a revenue or attendance decline directly attributable to Epic Universe's opening. Disney Tourist Blog notes "sky-high" wait times and crowd changes at Epic Universe while simultaneously recommending visitors delay visiting until operational efficiencies improve, suggesting the new park is still stabilizing attendance flow. This implies that Disney has not yet seen a major shift in visitor patterns due to Epic Universe, at least in the first few months post-opening.
In conclusion, Epic Universe has positively affected Universal Orlando's tourism and revenue with strong economic benefits locally. Meanwhile, Walt Disney World has yet to experience any significant adverse effects from Universal's new competitor. This development is beneficial not only to Universal but also to other corporations, including Disney, as new attractions often draw fans to both Disney and Universal resorts.
Read also:
- Foreign financial aid for German citizens residing abroad persists
- "Germany appears less environmentally friendly compared to Texas, according to Harald Lesch's climate documentary"
- Investing 1 billion funds into the police force of North Rhine-Westphalia for battling rodents and mold issues
- Tesla resurrects transferred Full Self-Driving feature amid other promotional offers
